Camp
Selinda, Botswana & the Okavango
Zarafa Camp
An under-canvas camp on the Zibadianja Lagoon in Botswana's Selinda Reserve, noted for leopard and painted dog sightings.
Price on request
Camp · , Botswana
Selinda Explorers Camp
Three standard canvas tents and one two-bedroom family tent sit on raised platforms above the Selinda Spillway, in a private reserve chosen by Great Plains founders Dereck and Beverly Joubert.
Overview
Selinda Explorers Camp stands on the banks of the Selinda Spillway, inside the private Selinda Reserve in northern Botswana. The site was chosen by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, the National Geographic Explorers who founded Great Plains Conservation, after years spent studying the area. The camp sits under the shade of riverine forest, in a stretch of reserve known for its density of predators.
The canvas guest tents are campaign-style, built from recycled hardwoods and dressed with soft furnishings brought in from Zanzibar and the East. Persian carpets, brass and copper fittings, many of them made by the Jouberts themselves, give the camp the feel of an early twentieth-century expedition base rather than a conventional lodge. There are three standard tents and one two-bedroom family tent, all raised on wooden platforms. Each has its own bedroom, a covered private veranda, and a private bathroom with a hot water shower and a flush loo.
Game drives run in the early morning and late afternoon, paired with guided walks on foot. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, giraffes, buffalo and antelope, including eland, roan and sable, are found across the reserve, and more than 9,000 elephants pass through at the height of the dry season. When the Selinda Spillway floods in winter, canoeing becomes possible, and the birdlife along its banks is substantial. Days can include a sundowner at the Hippo Pool, a bush walk along the Spillway, or an evening given over to astronomy.
- Rooms
- 4
- Minimum stay
- 1 night
- Check in
- 15:00
- Check out
- 12:00
Why we like it
- Three standard guest tents and one two-bedroom family tent, each on a raised wooden platform
- Set on the banks of the Selinda Spillway inside the private Selinda Reserve, northern Botswana
- Camp location selected by Great Plains founders Dereck and Beverly Joubert after years exploring the area
- Over 9,000 elephants traverse the private Selinda Reserve at the peak of the dry season
- Canoeing on the Selinda Spillway becomes possible when it floods during winter
- Decor includes Persian carpets and brass and copper detailing made by the Jouberts
Gallery
Rooms & suites
Categories shown for orientation. Your travel advisor will confirm which are available for your dates and recommend the one that suits the trip.
Standard Guest Tent
A custom-designed canvas tent on a raised wooden platform, furnished in campaign style with recycled hardwoods and soft furnishings from Zanzibar and the East. Includes a bedroom, a covered private veranda and a private bathroom with a hot water shower and flush loo.
Up to 2 guestsFamily Tent
A two-bedroom canvas tent on a raised wooden platform, built for families travelling together. Shares the same campaign-style furnishings, covered private veranda and private bathroom with hot water shower and flush loo as the standard tents.
Up to 2 guests
Amenities
- Private veranda
- En-suite bathroom
- Hot water shower
- Flush toilet
- Laundry service
Reserving through us
Included when your travel advisor confirms this stay
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Property credit or equivalent where the house offers one
- Early check in and late check out on request
- Welcome amenity and your travel agent known to the general manager
Eligible preferred amenities are applied wherever available, subject to the property at the time of stay, and are confirmed in your proposal.
Location
, Botswana
Water camps in the delta, high game density and very few vehicles.
Questions
- How many tents does Selinda Explorers Camp have?
- There are three standard guest tents and one two-bedroom family tent, all set on raised wooden platforms along the Selinda Spillway.
- Is the camp suitable for families?
- Yes. The camp includes a dedicated two-bedroom family tent and is described as suitable for individual travellers, couples, families and small groups of friends.
- What wildlife might guests see at Selinda Explorers Camp?
- The private Selinda Reserve holds lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, giraffes, buffalo and antelope including eland, roan and sable. At the peak of the dry season, more than 9,000 elephants pass through the reserve.
- What activities are available at the camp?
- Guests go out on guided walks and on safari drives in the early morning and late afternoon or early evening. Canoeing along the Selinda Spillway is possible if the channel floods during winter, and the birdlife along its banks is notable.
- What are the bathroom facilities like in the tents?
- Each tent has its own private bathroom with a hot water shower and a flush loo, along with a covered private veranda.
You might also consider
Hotels and resorts in Botswana & the Okavango
Lodge
Okavango Delta, Botswana & the Okavango
Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
A twelve-suite lodge on the edge of a Delta waterway, its guest area built to resemble a giant pangolin, on a concession bordering the Moremi Game Reserve.
Price on request
Lodge
, Botswana & the Okavango
&Beyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Lodge
Nine suites overlook a seasonal lagoon deep in Botswana's Okavango Delta, each with uninterrupted views running from bedroom to bathroom.
Price on request